Separation of liquids from crushed-ore products.



W. A. CALDEGOTT.

SEPARATION OF LIQUIDS FROM GBUSHED ORE PRODUCTS.

APPLIUATION FILED MAB.18, 1907.

Patented May 13, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. L2 a 6 8 7 i 5 7 J IF' J 4 A2 gg g; ,2 JL O 4/ (llfiuuy W. A. GALDEGOTT.

SEPARATION OF LIQUIDS FROM GRUSHED ORE PRODUCTS.

APPLICATION FILED 111111.18, 1907.

Patented May 13, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

y/am 4 w i srarus rnnr FFlCE.

WILLIAM ARTHUR GALDECOTT, 0F JOHANNESBURG, TRANSVAAL.

SEPARATION OF LIQUIDS FROM CRUSHED-OILE IPRODUGTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1913.

Application filed March 18, 1907. Serial No. 363,072.

vent solutions, waterwashesand'the like) from crushed ore products.

The invention is designed more particularly for effecting the continuous separation of sand (the coarser and heavier particles of pulverized ore) from the mill pulp or crushed ore in a condition suitable for direct treatment in the leaching vats.

The invention in part is also applicable for efl'ecting the separation of gold bearing solutions from pulp containing ore slime and sand, or ore slime or sand, or for clarifying thegold bearing 0 anid solutions or water from suspended so id matter preparatory to the precipitation of the precious metal from such solutions or water, or for any other analogous purpose.

According to my invention, as applied more particularly to the separation of sand from mill pulp, or when the mixture to be treated contains a large percentage of solids,

Bil

I first treat the pulp or 'mixture in an apparatus' designed for continuously efi'ecting the removal of the bulk of the liquid and slime from the pulp, and subsequently eitect the separation of the remaining liquid by means of suitable filtering apparatus.

Instead of running the whole or part of the pulp enterin a cyanid works into the ordinary sand co lecting or settling vats, as is presently the practice, this pulp may be runinto one or more of the apparatus for removing the bulk of the liquid and slime, and the concentrated residue, consisting the sand and a small proportion of the shme, be delivered direct to the filtering apparatus whereby the reater portion of the remaining liquid wil be separated and the moist residue be in a suitable condition for immediate and direct treatment in the leaching vats.

In the accompanying drawings I illustrate apparatus des1gned for the ractical application of the lIlVBlllElOIl and y will at once proceed with a detailed description of such apparatus,

Figure 1 represents the apparatus in part sectional elevation, while Fig. 2 represents it in plan.

The apparatus as shown, comprises a sp1tzkasten or conical classifier provided for removing from the mill pulp or mixture of solids and liquids, the bulk. of the liquid and slime. This, as shown, consists of a receiving vessel 1 constructed'like an inverted cone or p ramid in its lower portion and formed with vertical sides or walls "in the upper portion.

2 designates a pipe for conducting the mill pulp into the receiving vessel 1. The pipe 2 is shown surrounded at its lower extremity by a concentric pipe 3, which latter carries a horizontally disposed baflle plate 4; fixed thereto by means of hooks or brackets 5.

6 is a ring or annular baflle fixed around the upper edge ofthe vessel 1 by means of .brackets 7. The battle plate 4 and baths ring 6 are provided to insure effective precipitation of the sand inthe receiver 1 by preventing their being carried out of the vessel by the out-flowing liquid and slime-the minute particles of the pulverized ore.

Surrounding the u per edge of the vessel 1 is an annular over ow launder 8 provided with a discharge spout 9, which launder 8 serves to receive the separated liquid and slime from which they may be conveyed in any suitable manner to the slime treatment vats or otherwise, as preferred.

The spitzkasten or conical classifier 1 is carried at a suitable altitude by means of the tour posts 10 and horizontal beams 11, to which latter are fixed the brackets or members 12. To the receiver 1, at the apex, is fixed a verticall disposed outlet or discharge pipe 13 i br the sand or underflow and to the lower extremity of this pipe is secured a niece 14.- which forms a spreader for distributing said underfiow.

As shown, the apparatus for the treatment of the underflow for effecting the fi'nal sepa ration of the residual liquid therefrom, as

forming the inclined sides of the chamber 15 may be of wood, concrete or other suitable material. 20 is a vertically disposed cylin- 'drical piece fixed to the outer channel iron 17 and forming a rim or lip around the top of the vacuumchamber 15 on the outside, and 21 is a somewhat wider cylindrical piece fixed to the inner channel iron 16 forming-a higheror deeper lip around the top of the vacuum chamber on the inside. Above the vacuum chamber 15 is arranged anannular piece of screening or wire gauze 22 of a suitably fine mesh and on top of the screening is placed filter cloth 22 or fabric of suitable texture through the interstices of which the liquid passes" or is drawn by the partial vacuum created in the chamber 15.

23 is ,a central vertically disposed rota table hollow shaft which at its lower extremity runs in a footstep or other suitable bearing 24 shown supported on timbers 25..

The upper extremity of the shaft 23 1 shown running in a bearing 26 carried by a intermediate flange 32 shown at approximately the same level as the bottom of the vacuum chamber 15. This flange 32 has fixed to it the inner ends of the horizontal radial arms 33 which are fixed to and serve for supporting the parts 16, 17, 18, constitutingthe vacuumchamber 15.. The shaft 23 at'or in proximity toits lower end is constructed with a further flange 34 to which are fixed the inclined radial arms 35 which are connected at their other ends to and serve for supporting the vacuum chamber 15 around its circumference.

'36 represent pipes (of which four are shown) communicating at one end with the bottom of the vacuum chamber 15 and at the other end with the interior of the hol-' low shaft 23.

. 37 represents a fixed pipe communicating with the interior of the vertical shaft 23 at the bottom, and 38 represents a stufiing box and gland making fluid-tight connectionbetween the fixed pipe 37 and hollow shaft 23. The fixed pipe 37 communicates with the upper end of a suction chamber or vesse139.

40 is an air pump placed in communication with the upper end of the suction chamber 39 by pipe 41 and 42 the outlet of the pump.

43 is a pump laced in communication through pipe 44 wlth the bottom of the suction chamber 39 for removing the liquid entering the suctionchamber and 44 is the to the leachin discharge pipe from the pump 43. For imparting rotatory motion to the hollow shaft 23 I show a bevel wheel 45 fixed to the bottom flange 34. I

46 designates a bevel pinion fixed on a shaft 47 and meshing with the bevel Wheel 45. v The shaft 47 is supported by bearings 48, .49 and 50, and 51 is a belt pulley fixed to said shaft 47.

The. rotary vacuum filter is so arranged in relation to the spitzkasten or conical classifier 1 that theunder-flow issuing -from the latter is delivered onto the filter cloth 22 and spread over practically the whole width of the cloth by the spreader 14. The latter is arranged to deliver the concentrated underflow at or about the level of the outer rim or lip 20 so that the underflow is delivered on to a bed or layer of the .sand equal or approximately equal to. the depth of said outer lip.

52 is a scraper or plow for removing the sand or moist residue remaining'on the sur face of the filter. cloth. This scraper or plow is so constructed and arranged as to divert the sand into a hopper 53, which latter is shown arranged to deliver the sand H on to abelt conveyer 54 for conveylugt vats.

55 .is the ta e up pulley of the belt conveyer and 56 are the idlersfor the underlay.

As shown in Fig. 2 the scra er 52 is preferably arranged to remove t e moist sand from the surface of the filter Cloth 22 just before the latter passes underneath the spreader 14 so that the underflow deposited on theffiltering medium is subjected to the influence of the partial vacuum created in the chamber 15 during a complete; revolution. v

In'the'operation of the apparatus the mill pulp enters the spitzkasten or classifier 1 by the pipe 2 and the sand is precipitated,

the bulk of the liquid and slime flowing 'over the upper end into the overflow launder 8. The underflow or concentrated residue is continuously delivered upon the filter cloth 22 and t e remaining liquid, aided by the partial vacuum created in the chamber 15, passes through the interstices of thecloth and is drawn from the chamber 15 throufgh the pipes 36, hollow shaft 23 and fixed pipe 37 into the suction cha'inber39 from which it iswithdrawn by the pump :43. The partlally dried layer of sand or solid matter remaining on the surface of the filter cloth 22 iscontinuously removed b the scraper 52 and delivered on to the elt conve er 54 by which it is transferred to the leaching vats for treatment therein.

As applied for efiecting'the separation (13f f gold bearing solutions from pulp containing j. ore slime or sand, or ore slime and meager for clarifying gold bearing c anidsolutions or water from suspended so id 'matter preparatory to the precipitation of the precious metals, or when the mixture contains a comparatively small quantity of solids, the spit-zkasten or classifier 1 maybe dispensed with and the mixture of liquids and solids be delivered directly on to the. filtering media above the vacuum chamber '15.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is The process of preparing metal-bearing sands for leaching, consisting in subjecting the pulp, containing sands and slimes, continuously to such a settling and decanting separation as will separate the slimes and the bulk of the water from the sands, con- 15 tinuously discharging the sands and subjecting them to vacuum filtration to extract substantially all the water accompanying said sands, the sands and slimes, once separated, being maintained separate.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM ARTHUR OALDECOT'I'.

Witnesses CHAS. OVENDALE, R. OVENDALE. 

